Post by Nadica (She/Her) on Aug 25, 2024 21:12:21 GMT
How to Avoid Getting Sick With Covid, Again - Published Aug 9, 2024
Edited out some of the annoying fake-letter-writing Bloomberg BS
Masks, outdoor activities and air purifiers
It’s been more than two years since I was infected with Covid which developed into long Covid, and my life has not been the same since. It was my first positive test, but it’s possible that I caught the virus in March 2020 when mass testing wasn’t yet available. Back then, I had already started self-isolating before national lockdowns were implemented and I didn’t think much of this bout of sickness until years later, when I heard that repeat infections could increase the risk of developing long Covid.
As one of millions of people around the world suffering from long Covid, I have been learning how to live with the condition. I avoid alcohol and late nights, and have to dial back on socializing on the days when I’m feeling triggered. That’s why the idea of getting infected again terrifies me, because it can undo the progress I’ve made during my long Covid recovery. Getting sick in general can cause problems: last year, I developed hives after a common cold and now take anti-histamines every day to keep the itchiness away.
“It seems like each new infection could potentially be a new situation for the virus to potentially down-regulate the immune system and create a better environment for the reactivation of other dormant pathogens,” says Amy Proal, president of PolyBio Research Foundation, a non-profit that facilitates research into chronic, infection-associated conditions. The idea that getting regularly infected would only strengthen the immune system is “wishful thinking,” she added.
Now, I take extra precautions compared to pre-pandemic times. If a friend tells me they’re sick — even if they say it’s mild or that they’re feeling fine — I’ll suggest catching up another time. I’ll order my own food when out for a meal with others, or insist on using serving spoons if we’re sharing some dishes. At the first sign of a sore throat or swollen glands, I use a nasal spray designed to prevent full-blown colds.
Covid is spread via airborne particles and droplets. So to avoid getting reinfected, Proal suggests wearing a well-fitted N95 respirator mask particularly in crowded spaces, socializing outdoors where air movement is better, opening windows when inside to the extent that it’s possible and using HEPA filters to improve indoor air quality.
“Clean your air,” she says. “You can just be in a room with someone who’s sick and if they’re breathing enough into the air and the air’s not getting turned over, it just kind of clouds like a cigarette smoke cloud.” — Lisa Pham
Edited out some of the annoying fake-letter-writing Bloomberg BS
Masks, outdoor activities and air purifiers
It’s been more than two years since I was infected with Covid which developed into long Covid, and my life has not been the same since. It was my first positive test, but it’s possible that I caught the virus in March 2020 when mass testing wasn’t yet available. Back then, I had already started self-isolating before national lockdowns were implemented and I didn’t think much of this bout of sickness until years later, when I heard that repeat infections could increase the risk of developing long Covid.
As one of millions of people around the world suffering from long Covid, I have been learning how to live with the condition. I avoid alcohol and late nights, and have to dial back on socializing on the days when I’m feeling triggered. That’s why the idea of getting infected again terrifies me, because it can undo the progress I’ve made during my long Covid recovery. Getting sick in general can cause problems: last year, I developed hives after a common cold and now take anti-histamines every day to keep the itchiness away.
“It seems like each new infection could potentially be a new situation for the virus to potentially down-regulate the immune system and create a better environment for the reactivation of other dormant pathogens,” says Amy Proal, president of PolyBio Research Foundation, a non-profit that facilitates research into chronic, infection-associated conditions. The idea that getting regularly infected would only strengthen the immune system is “wishful thinking,” she added.
Now, I take extra precautions compared to pre-pandemic times. If a friend tells me they’re sick — even if they say it’s mild or that they’re feeling fine — I’ll suggest catching up another time. I’ll order my own food when out for a meal with others, or insist on using serving spoons if we’re sharing some dishes. At the first sign of a sore throat or swollen glands, I use a nasal spray designed to prevent full-blown colds.
Covid is spread via airborne particles and droplets. So to avoid getting reinfected, Proal suggests wearing a well-fitted N95 respirator mask particularly in crowded spaces, socializing outdoors where air movement is better, opening windows when inside to the extent that it’s possible and using HEPA filters to improve indoor air quality.
“Clean your air,” she says. “You can just be in a room with someone who’s sick and if they’re breathing enough into the air and the air’s not getting turned over, it just kind of clouds like a cigarette smoke cloud.” — Lisa Pham